Fifty-eight years ago today, MidMichigan experienced its worst natural disaster, the Beecher tornado.
It killed 116 people, injured 900, destroyed 300 homes, and caused $19-million in damage.
June 8th, 1953 was a hot, humid day just like Wednesday. People living around the Beecher district in northern Flint were hoping for relief from the heat, what they got was something totally different.
On Facebook, Pauline Trevarrow says the storm, "Took out big trees at our home too and seriously damaged or destroyed homes on Carpenter too. Went right down Coldwater in Beecher. Seriously damaged or destroyed homes in this neighborhood."
JoyBell Barber on Facebook says, "I remember standing on the steps of our church watching a rocking chair in the air that looked like someone just got up out of it...it was still rocking... it took the roofs of houses on both sides of my aunt & uncle's home & left their untouched. My grandfather was the oldest volunteer to go help with rescue & recovery."
In remembrance of the Beecher tornado, there's a multi-denominational event at Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, 1227 East Bristol at 7:30PM Wednesday June 8th.
Habitat for Humanity is also sponsoring a multi-denominational, two-day build, Thursday and Friday, to bring people together.
